1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to collapsible containers and, more particularly, to a novel collapsible pail which in its extended position has a maximum volume capacity and in its storage position as collapsed presents a reduced volume and profile so that the unit can be stored in a small space.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
In the past, pails, buckets, baskets and the like normally use a continuous fixed sidewall which will not fold or collapse so that the sides of the bucket or basket cannot be reduced from its maximum size to a lower profile or volume such as for storage purposes. In an attempt to collapse a bucket or pail when not in use, some pails include sidewalls which are of various tapers or dimensions so that they may be nested inside one another and, when extended, overlapping ridges or flanges engage so as to maintain the sections in an operable condition. Then, when the unit is to be stored, the sections are collapsed upon one another to reduce the overall dimension.
Difficulties and problems have been encountered when employing such prior collapsible containers which stem largely from the fact that when extended, liquids tend to leak between the adjacent wall surfaces of the sections so that it is difficult to carry liquids in the container without spilling, seepage or draining. Also, when inverted flanges or beads are employed to engage adjacent portions of sections when the sections are in the extended position, the various sections will only remain in the extended position when a load is placed on the handle attached to the uppermost section of the plurality. As soon as the container is placed on the ground and the load is taken off of the handle, the uppermost sections of the container will collapse due to gravitational force and contents of the container will spill. Still further problems reside in a provision for maintaining all of the sections in the container as a single unitized article. For example, in some instances when the sections are collapsed, the sections are readily separated from one another and it is difficult to hold the sections together as a unit. In other words, no limit or stop means is provided for preventing disassembly of the plurality of sections from one another in either the extended or collapsed position.
Therefore, a long standing need has existed to provide a novel collapsible container which is of a unitary construction in either the extended or collapsed position and which will readily seal between adjacent sections when in the extended position. Also, means should be provided for releasably holding the plurality of sections together in the extended position and yet prevent the flow of liquid between the adjacent sections without relying upon an applied load to the extended sections.